Bill would let registered nurses bill Medicaid directly for care coordination

The Senate Committee on Health Care held a public hearing April 22 on House Bill 2,789, which would prohibit the Oregon Health Authority from requiring that certain case-management or care‑coordination services be ordered by a primary care provider before a registered nurse may seek Medicaid reimbursement.

Supporters said the change would let registered nurses provide and be reimbursed for transitional and care‑management services — for example, post‑hospital discharge follow‑up, wound checks and medication teaching — without the delay of securing a primary care order. Representative Travis Nelson, House District 44, introduced the bill and called it “a practical, patient‑centered bill” brought forward by the American Nurses Association to address gaps in access and equity.

The bill’s proponents described several rationales for…